Rep. Gerry Connolly, a Democrat from Fairfax County who has served 16 years in Congress, has died, according to a statement from his office. He was 75.
Connolly, who has been battling esophageal cancer, has previously announced he would not seek reelection in 2026, setting off a scramble among prospective successors in the heavily Democratic 11th District. His death will now set in motion a special election sometime this year.
Connolly was the highest-ranking Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Committee. Before his 2008 election to Congress, he served on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and was considered a political power in Northern Virginia. Connolly made national news when some Republicans suggested that Dulles airport be renamed after President Donald Trump. “If Republicans want to name something after him, I suggest they find a federal prison,” Connolly said.
“Everyone who runs for office says they want ‘to get stuff done,’ but comparatively few actually succeed,” said Rep. Don Beyer, D-Alexandria, in a statement. “Gerry got stuff done for years in Fairfax, where he advocated successfully for projects including the Silver Line and the Cross County Trail, which now bears his name. Then he brought the same attitude and outlook to Congress, where he wrote and passed a major postal reform, led efforts to create the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission, and was one of the most tireless and active advocates for the federal workforce ever to serve in Congress. Gerry was especially proud to have been named the House’s ‘most effective legislator,’ and to have earned the trust of his colleagues to lead our Caucus on oversight and government reform, topics he knew more about than almost anyone.”
Beyer also noted that Connolly was “warm, witty, and loyal, and he loved acting in community theater as a company member of the Providence Players of Fairfax.”
State Sen. Lamont Bagby, D-Richmond and chair of the Virginia Democratic Party, called Connolly “a true giant in Virginia politics and a tireless fighter for our Commonwealth.”
“Gerry was a fighter,” said U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., in a statement. “His sharp mind, boundless energy, and deep commitment to the people of Northern Virginia made him a force to be reckoned with, whether on the Fairfax Board of Supervisors or in Congress. He met every challenge with tenacity and purpose, including his final battle with cancer, which he faced with courage, grace, and quiet dignity.”